


thank you, dad.

by souriant



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family Dynamics, Father Figures, Father's Day, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Feels, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-06-30 04:34:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19845682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/souriant/pseuds/souriant
Summary: Placing his shaking hands in his pockets to ignore his thoughts he started, “You said you viewed me as a father, as a dad. A figure in your life you can look up to, right Spidey?”Peter must’ve nodded instead because there was silence for a moment before Peter spoke again.“Yes.”“And you said in that card, that it’d be awkward if I didn’t view you as such back.”“Mhm.” Peter hummed out, his shaky breathing calming down a tiny bit. That relieved Tony slightly.Tony steadied his hand and took a breath, admitting his emotions had never been his strong suit. Lowering his voice to a soft whisper he confirmed it, "Well, I'd hate to break it to you, but I do."After an awkward exchange between Peter and Tony in the lab, a week later Tony finds a card for Father's Day, addressed tohim, and it's from Peter.





	thank you, dad.

An hour passed. Instead of working on projects Tony let him do while he worked across him Peter started to work on a card for Fathers Day. Tony didn’t notice, too busy wrapped up in his own work. Pausing for a second, Tony took a second to let himself breathe and he noticed something was off. The rambles that filled the air most Friday evenings were no longer there.

Frowning, Tony wiped his palms on his pants, attempting to get the grease off. In case he needed to hug the kid for emotional support. Yes, he emotionally supported him now, or he at least hugged Peter and didn’t say it wasn’t a hug anymore. The silence could've meant anything, Tony wanted to try and support him no matter what. After the meek attempt at cleaning his hands, he turned around and looked at Peter. Scribbling away at a piece of card, nothing seemed off. No tensed up body, no shaking hands, no heaving chest from what he could tell. Relieved, Tony was close to giving in and going back to his work. But something still seemed off.

He knew the worry clenching his chest wouldn’t disappear, it never did. No use in putting the worry off, because Tony’s instincts were usually right. Tony sat up and walked towards Peter. He didn’t sit that far away so it wasn’t long before he stood behind Peter.

“Hey, Pete?”

Peter froze when he heard Tony’s voice and he shoved the card he wrote on before into his lap so Tony couldn’t see it. Peter was an awkward kid in general, but it seemed different.

“What’s wrong?”

Since when did he sound so soft and... fond of Peter? Since when did he not give a shit?

Peter’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “Nothing’s wrong?”

Tony hummed, “Just seemed quiet, is all.”

His rambling filled the air up with noise whenever he visited, Tony focused on it. He also focused on the projects but that alone couldn't distract Tony, but Peter alone could. He distracted Tony from everything else going on in his life. When he walked into the lab that day Tony knew Peter was going to make up for the hours beforehand. Like Tony said, distraction, but a good one. But today he didn’t have that distraction, unlike most days when Peter visited he got silent. Worry bit at Tony's insides again.

Peter scrambled to his feet, “Uh, sorry Mr. Stark! I was distracted.”

Shrugging, Tony reached for the card gripped in Peter’s hand, “It’s fine kid, what were you doing anyway?”

Before he could grab the card Peter tore his arm away and the stone look on his face switched to a guilty one. Why would the kid yank the card away? What did he happen to be doing anyway?

“Shit sorry--”

Tony interrupted, “Language.”

Peter stared, a blank look on his face, “I hear you swear all the time…”

A perfect example of what a role model should be, Tony was. More like the opposite. 

“What are you hiding?”

Peter looked down at his feet and stuttered out, “Nothing, sir.”

Tony sighed, “Didn’t I tell you to stop calling me Sir and Mr. Stark?”

“Yes, but--”

The kid with his formalities, Tony had told him to call him Tony so many times that he couldn’t count on one hand. The relationship at that point seemed stable enough for him to stop calling him Mr. Stark, or Sir. seemed stable enough for him to stop looking up to him as a hero.

“But?”

“But you-- Tony Stark!”

Tony bit back a sigh, being a Stark didn’t equal respect. At least young him had learned something. Between the playboy scheme and drinking, until he blacked out, he learned that being a Stark didn’t equal respect. Either coming from his father or the people around him. He learnt it.

“Doesn’t matter. I mean, kid, you’re in my lab. Shouldn’t that mean something?”

“What about the lab?” Peter said, looking confused.

The lab was a safe place for Tony. He let hardly anyone into it, yet he’d cracked when Peter had gone on in his excited voice asking if he could see it. He’d cracked because he couldn’t resist the kid. Peter wouldn’t have known that few people entered the lab, so he wouldn’t think it meant anything.

“Nothing about the lab kiddo."

Peter frowned, “Mr. Stark?”

“Yeah?”

Tony ran a hand through his hair.

He pointed towards Tony’s hands with a grimace, “Your hands are all greasy.”

"And you ran that grease through your hair, _gross man._ "

Tony grinned and winked at Peter while rubbing his hands together. Feeling the grease stick there, he grimaced. Regardless, he ignored it, he could deal with some grease. Tony walked across to his side of the room to start his work again, “That’s what comes with being a genius engineer kid!” he yelled out to Peter once he sat down.

“Sure, Mr. Stark!”

Despite everything that happened that week, Tony smiled. A real, honest-to-god smile. The kid always seemed to find ways to drag a real smile out of him.

* * *

A week later, Tony found a card left in his lab. Bright blue letters on the front that said ‘Happy Fathers Day! :)” the smiley face included. Tony’s eyes widened and he smiled, so that was what the kid was hiding from him last week? Tony opened the card and a roughly drawn Iron Man standing next to a Spiderman caught his eye on the first bit of the card. Iron Man had his mask off, but the rest of the suit stayed on, same with Spiderman. Iron Man’s arm thrown over Spider man's shoulders, a gentle look in his eyes as he smiled gently. Spiderman, or Peter, leaned into the contact and a happy yet surprised look showed in his eyes as he grinned. Impressive talent at showing expressions in the eyes for a kid who claimed to not know how to draw. That made Tony wonder how much effort the kid put into the card if he'd learn how to draw just for a Father's Day card. Did Tony mean _that_ much to him?

Forcing himself to look away from the drawing, he noticed a tiny message in the corner of the card. He squinted, it read _“Sorry that it isn’t the best, I got MJ to help me out with a lot of it. I hope you like the drawing Mr. Stark!”_ Tony smiled, a fond feeling spreading throughout him with the normality of the way Peter wrote. Looking over to the next bit of the card, Tony found himself surprised that he didn't notice the hunk of jumbled writing first. Regardless he read it, it read:

_“Hey Mr. Stark, Happy Fathers Day! I know you said you don’t like gifts or surprises, so I settled with a small surprise instead. This card. I really do hope you like the drawing! I spent a week on it! With MJ’S help, of course, she draws people in distress a lot so she helped me out a lot. I wanted it to be good enough for you. You know I don’t have a father, he’s dead and Uncle Ben died a couple of years ago, I can’t remember and I don’t want to. And I know you don’t want to be like your dad and maybe that means you don’t want to be one, and I know I said I don’t have a dad, but I do. He’s you. I wanted to wait it out to tell you how I felt towards you, but I guess I’m doing it here, in this card. I really hope you view me like a son back, because then that would be awkward man. Anyways, I just wanted to say that I see you as my dad, and well, you’re not like your dad at all. You’re caring, and brave, and you stopped keeping me out ages ago. You aren’t like your dad, not at all. Damn it, all I wanted to say was that yet here this messy long paragraph is, might as well end up. Thank you for everything Mr. Stark, Happy Fathers Day Tony. (P.S see I called you Tony for once)”_

Many emotions hit him at that moment and Tony let out a watery laugh. Peter's name hid at the bottom with a smiley face and a small note “Did I forget to mention I love you like a dad as well?” Tony closed the card and he didn’t know how to feel about it. The emotions weren’t negative for once, relief, happiness, care, warmth, and love. Oh what a famous word, love. People had told Tony they loved him before, but the words often lacked the true meaning behind them. Words forced out to seal the deal, to trick Tony. The words didn’t fool him anymore, but when it came to Peter. It was genuine. He knew that he trusted the kid and Peter wasn't good at hiding his emotions. Even when trying, he failed on almost all occasions. 

Peter couldn’t lie to save his life. The “I see you as a dad” left Tony feeling like he’d cry, but because of the warmth and truth behind the written words. And out of nowhere, Tony knew that everything would turn out okay with Peter. Tony would fuck it up along the way, but Peter seemed to trust Tony, and that was enough for now.

The anxiety buzzing in his chest almost constantly faded away, relieved, Tony sat down and rested his face in his arms, whispering out loud. “I love you too kid.”

* * *

The next day, a reluctant nervous Peter called him up. Immediately after seeing "Spider-kid" pop up on his phone, signaling a call, he answered. He'd answer Peter every time, even if he happened to be sat in a meeting. Tony didn't willingly go to them anyways, Pepper forced him. And she always got mad when he answered Peter during meetings. He wasn't sat in a meeting right now though, so he could answer without Pepper killing him with her glare and lectures. On the importance of showing up to meetings, on the importance of _staying_ in meetings. 

A rough exhale echoed across the phone, “Hey Mr. Stark.”

Tony sat down, preparing himself to reassure.

“Hey, Pete.”

A few moments passed, Peter seemed to be preparing himself over the phone. All Tony wanted to do was tell him that he saw him as his kid as well, but he didn’t want to interrupt him. Another few moments passed, and Tony had always been impatient. Patience stretched thin.

Another exhale, “Did you get the card?”

“Yeah, I did. Peter, I have to tell you something--” Tony began, but he got cut off before he could finish.

“Can you just tell me?” Peter’s voice came out shaky and uncertain. Nervous.

Tony gripped the phone in his hand, this kid didn’t deserve to lose his dad and uncle. Peter didn’t deserve to have someone push him away after admitting to seeing him like he saw his uncle. A lot to take in. He knew what Peter meant by “Can you just tell me?” but to let him talk, he faked ignorance.

“Tell you what?”

A few shaky breaths before Peter spoke again, “I know I seemed all confident about it in the card. But I’m panicking now, Mr. Stark. Can you tell me?”

“Tell me what?” Tony repeated, he’d try again.

Peter groaned, “Please sir, you know what I’m asking for.”

Tony took a deep breath, “I do, kid.” his voice came out all soft and fond once again, and Tony repeated his previous thoughts from a week ago, since when? _Since you mentored him, and let him in your lab. He means a lot to you now. You like the kid, you love the kid, like a son._ An unknown voice whispered to him in the back of his mind, sounding suspiciously like Pepper. Pushing that thought out, he could hear Peter’s shaky breathing over the line. Might as well get it over with. His hands were shaking, he shouldn't be the nervous one in the situation. He didn't deserve to be the nervous one, Peter did.

Placing his shaking hands in his pockets to ignore his thoughts he started, “You said you viewed me as a father, as a dad. A figure in your life you can look up to, right Spidey?”

Peter must’ve nodded instead because there was silence for a moment before Peter spoke again. 

“Yes.”

“And you said in that card, that it’d be awkward if I didn’t view you as such back.”

“Mhm.” Peter hummed out, his shaky breathing calming down a tiny bit. That relieved Tony slightly. 

Tony steadied his hand and took a breath, admitting his emotions had never been his strong suit. Lowering his voice to a soft whisper he confirmed it, "Well, I'd hate to break it to you, but I do."

No more seconds of silence, Peter let out a weak chuckle of relief.

“Good. I’d hate it to be awkward with you. I can’t lose you too.”

Tony wouldn't let Peter lose him, not on his watch.

Tony frowned, “You won’t, Peter.” his voice came out steady and Tony sounded so sure of himself. Peter’s nerves at last disappeared and Tony could hear the grin through the phone.

“I know.” a chuckle, “I believe you, I always do Tony.”

Tony was pleased that Peter seemed to be back to his old self, but those words he said held a heavy sense of certainty. It left Tony's head whirling with questions, which wasn't unusual but he needed to see Peter. Right now would be preferred but later would work too.

“Hey, want to come over later for some work, don’t you dare say, tinkering?”

Peter chuckled softly at that, “Sure, I’ll see you there Mr. Stark.”

There the kid went, back to Mr. Stark.

“Hey! I thought we made progress, the bonding, and everything, and now you’re back to calling me, Mr. Stark!?” Tony whined into the phone speaker but Peter hung up instead of answering him. Smiling to himself, Tony promised himself he’d hug the kid as soon as he saw him tonight.

* * *

He kept his promise to himself for once, he held Peter in his arms, tight and protected. Peter's warm body, safe and relieved in his arms. For now. All that mattered was everything you had at the moment, don't think too much about the future.

A shit therapist told Tony that, he fired him. You can't just not think about it if you worry on loop, but Tony understood what he meant by it now. He didn't care if he fucked up in the future, right now he held his kid in his arms. His kid who viewed him as a dad back, who loved him back.

Tony breathed into Peter’s shoulder, “Thanks for the card.”

Peter mumbled shyly, “Thanks for being there, for answering before--”

Tony cut him off, “No need to thank me. You deserve it.”

Peter smiled, a nervous look in his eyes, “Uh, instead of tinkering today can we watch a movie together?”

Happy to spend time with the kid, Tony nodded, “Sure, why not.”

* * *

A few hours later, Tony and Peter sat on a couch in one of the many living rooms. Tony had way too many rooms despite how much he lacked people in his space. Large and empty. Peter was glad he happened to be one of those few people in his space.

Star Wars played in the background but Peter's eyes were on Tony, his dad. Well, whatever seemed closest to his dad at that moment anyway. Peter wrote the card a while ago, but knowing Tony saw everything he'd wrote left him panicked. But Tony talked him through it, he reassured him.

To Peter, he seemed more fatherly. Father's reassured their sons. He didn't have his dad, or his mum, or even Uncle Ben. But he had Tony, and May at home. He only needed them, and his friends but this wasn't including them. He'd decided that while writing the card for Father's Day, on Mother's Day he'd ask Tony's advice on making May a card.

She wasn't his mum, but there wasn't an amazing Aunt day was there? It would have to do. Tony would help as a dad would. At peace, Peter closed his eyes to snuggle in the cozy couch but he ended up falling asleep. He woke up to a blanket pulled over him. Keeping his eyes closed, he muffled a smile, not wanting to notify Tony of his awareness. What he didn't expect was what Tony said next.

An affectionate chuckle, and a hand running through his hair.

“I love you, Peter.”

Peter could hardly keep the surprise inside, he couldn’t leave Tony hanging.

His voice came out groggy from sleep but he didn’t care, “I love you too, da--" Peter's face turned red, "I mean, Mr. Stark!" he mumbled under his breath a few times, "T--Tony, Tony."

"That works." He muttered to himself, hoping Tony didn't hear him.

He looked over at Tony, and Tony lips were upturned slightly in amusement. Peter internally glared at himself, he couldn't even call Tony "Dad" to his face without becoming a flustered mess. Idiot.

A few seconds passed, Tony's face softened, "Hey, kid."

Thank god Tony didn't seem to be in the mood to make fun of him.

“Hey, Mr. Stark.”

Peter’s voice came out squeaky like when he’d first met Tony, like when he got awkward. He couldn't find it in him to care.

“You want to go home now?” Tony asked, his voice went all fond like it did around Peter. Peter had started noticing it recently. He refused to admit it at first, that _Tony Stark_ had a certain fond voice for him, _Peter Parker._

“No,” Peter whined, burying himself into the blanket Tony put over him.

His voice came out muffled but he didn’t care, “I’m going to stay here, with you. Call May and tell her I’m staying the night, okay?”

The look in Tony's eyes made Peter fill up with gratitude for him coming into his life.

“Okay, will do kid.”

Tony started to walk away but before he could Peter grabbed his wrist, "Come back though?"

“I will."

Tony walked away to talk to May and Peter snuggled into the blanket he gave him. Peter smiled through the utter happiness in his chest. Tony's couch seemed like home.

Tony came back after a few minutes of waiting for him, cuddled in the blanket.

"You can stay," he said.

Peter nodded.

Seconds passed and before he could react Tony pulled him into a hug, "I'm not used to this whole physical affection thing, but I do love you, Peter. Thanks for the card, again."

Tony's hands were clenched around Peter's back as if he'd never let him go. His hands were shaking as well, hardly noticeable but still there. Peter found that Tony needed to be reassured just as much as he did. Younger him would've never thought that despite how much he looked up to him back then. He looked up to him now, but he saw him as a living, breathing human being. A stressed guy who wanted guaranteed peace, he saw that now. 

“You deserve it.”

Tony’s face morphed into shock again before regaining the soft look, “Thanks, kid.”

The pair fell into a comfortable silence before Peter spoke up again.

“Can you take me to my room?” he asked. 

Yes, Tony made him a room. When he told Peter, Peter had been embarrassed because he thought the whole stunt was a test. Turned out it wasn't, and Tony made a room for him. A nerdy room, just for Peter. Peter's heart warmed.

“Sure.”

Tony picked him up, a 16-year-old boy and casually took him to his room. He placed Peter into his bed with such gentleness that happiness filled his chest again. Once Peter got comfortable Tony ran his hands through Peter's hair again. Love and care was emitting off him, and Peter felt it all.

“Your hands clean now?”

Tony laughed, “Yeah, they are kid.”

The chat was seemingly over so Tony turned around to leave but Peter stopped him again, “Wait--”

"What now?"

Peter could feel himself getting sleepy and he wanted to say something before he fell into a slumber. 

A gentle smile made its way onto his face, “Thank you, Dad." he only blushed a tiny bit. Peter's felt pride at himself for managing to say that without turning into a flustered mess.

A smile as gentle as Peter's appeared on Tony's face. Peter loved the way happiness looked on him.

“Thanks for sticking around Parker.”

Peter grinned, “You’re welcome.”

“You’re welcome too.”

He liked seeing Tony so at peace, so he decided to say one last thing before Tony left. Might as well call him dad one last time while he had the ability to do so.

“Have a good night sleep, dad.”

Tony smiled again, Peter hadn't seen him smile so much with that look on his face in a long time, “You too, son.”

Tony left before he could see the grin widen on Peter's tired face, and all Peter had for him was warmth and love. Thank god for Tony Stark.

**Author's Note:**

> tony's just tired dad who wants peace, okay? 
> 
> thank you for reading this to the end, and if you want to leave kudos, leave kudos. even better, leave comments, i love reading comments :')


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